These 15+ Things Prove That Common Sense Is Not Always Common

Common sense is not so common, Voltaire once wrote. There is always that one person in class who sneezes without covering their mouth. Or the person who takes up two seats on the train just because they like to sit with their legs spread out. As much as we’d like to live in a considerate world, there will always be people who lack common sense or mindfulness in the most common situations.

Here are thirty simple reminders of what to do and not to do when you’re in a public space. If you think of yourself as a decent human being, most of these probably will be a no-brainer for you. And don’t forget to share your worst (or best) experiences with people who lacked common sense in the comments!

#1 Not Using Turning Signals

When did it become normal for people to ignore the most basic rules of driving?

#2 Not Letting People Get Out Of Busses And Elevators Before Entering

It makes a lot more sense than you trying to push yourself into the crowd who’s trying to get out anyway. Just stand aside, let people out, and then get in.

#3 Listening To Music Without Headphones

You think your music taste is great? Perfect, go study music, become a DJ or a producer, but please don’t shove your music taste onto other people who would rather listen to silence then the latest remix of DJ Khaled’s new song while sitting on a bus on their way to home.

#4 Being Rude To Your Server

Imagine working 12 hour shifts, always on your feet, tired as hell, and then dealing with the most annoying and rude customers? Yeah, don’t be that person who thinks waitresses have to deal with your terrible attitude. They’re just here to do their job and leave, don’t make it harder than it is.

#5 Standing On The Left Side And Blocking The Way

This one will definitely make your blood boil. Every country is different, but usually you walk on the left and you stand on the right, it’s that simple.

#6 Not Putting Your Stuff Back On The Proper Shelves In Grocery Stores

Just because you decided you don’t need that item anymore doesn’t mean somebody else should have to put it back to its place. Your ignorance creates extra work for the already busy grocery store employees so put the stuff back from where you took it.

#7 Leaving A Mess After Yourself

No matter if it’s your office, public bathroom or a clothing store, leaving your things all over the place is just rude. You’re not entitled to having people picking up your things after you.

#8 Swiping Right When Someone Hands You Their Phone To Show A Picture

They only wanted to show you one picture, you do not have the right to scroll through their photos and check what they have on their phone. Imagine how awkward it would be if you would stumble on something very private?

#9 Texting While Driving

Just don’t do this one. Don’t. You’re risking yours and someone else’s life for a text, it’s not worth it, and no matter what you’re typing, it will never be as important as being safe at the road.

#10 Putting Your Feet All Over Somebody Else’s Space On Planes And Trains

Feet are already a sensitive topic to many people, nobody enjoys seeing or smelling somebody else’s feet (unless you’re into that stuff). But taking your shoes off and putting your feet near people sitting next to you is just rude and disgusting.

Nobody wants to touch your hands after you used the toilet, and itâ€™s even worse since nobody is ever sure who washed their hands and who didnâ€™t. Be kind to others and stop sharing you bacteria.

#12 Not Cleaning Up After Your Dog

Picking up poop and throwing it away takes way less time than stepping in it and cleaning it up, not to mention getting rid of the smell. So, if you want a dog, understand that it comes with a poop that youâ€™ll have to pick up.

#13 Having A Cart Full Of Groceries In The Express Lane

It might be quicker for you but it ruins the whole point of the â€˜express laneâ€™. And donâ€™t act so surprised if the cashier refuses to scan your stuff.

#14 Throwing Something Into A Trash Bin, Missing It, And Not Picking It Up

Struggling with your aim? Then maybe just try walking to the trash bin? Who would have thought that itâ€™s that simple? Groundbreaking.

Headlight flashing is a popular way to send another driver a message. But always remember that your lights can be blinding other people and distracting them from the road, so please make sure that your lights are not too bright. The rule is simple, if you can see the driver – youâ€™re too late.

#16 Leaving Carts All Over The Parking Lot

How many times have you needed to park your car, thought you saw a free space, but when you drove closer saw it was occupied by a bunch of grocery store carts? There are special places to leave them, and they are always near the parking lot, please, put them where they are supposed to be.

#17 Parking In Disabled Parking Spots

Oh come on, this one is just plain illegal. Thereâ€™s always a free parking space somewhere, always, just try harder to find one.

#18 Having Your Stuff All Over The Place In Public Places

Everybody has heard about manspreading, but have you ever heard about â€˜Shebaggingâ€, itâ€™s when you put your stuff all over the place, especially in public transportation, blocking the available seat next to you and leaving others standing. If you ever catch yourself doing so, try putting your stuff on your legs and offering the seat to another passenger.

#19 Standing Too Close To Someone

If youâ€™re waiting in a line, please try your best not to breathe into someone elseâ€™s neck. This accidental intimacy is uncalled for and always unwanted. Try to be mindful, thereâ€™s a reason the term â€œsafe spaceâ€ exists.

#20 Snapping Fingers At A Server

Just donâ€™t. Itâ€™s rude, obnoxious and degrading.

Donâ€™t be a demon, when you finish a toilet paper roll replace it with a new one. Imagine a situation were you just finished doing your business and thereâ€™s no toilet paper, sucks, right? Well, donâ€™t put somebody else in this tragic situation.

#22 Not Covering Your Mouth While Coughing

According to Live Science, one cough can release as much as 3,000 droplets of saliva, and they can fly as fast as 50 miles per hour. And sneezing can force as much as 40,000 droplets of saliva. Is there anything else we need to say to prove our point? Covering your mouth is not an option but an absolute must.

#23 Manspreading

This one is rather simple – close. your. legs.

#24 Checking Your Phone In The Middle Of A Conversation

Unless itâ€™s actually urgent, please do not check your phone in the middle of a conversation with someone. It seems like youâ€™re bored, and you make other people feel uncomfortable. Also, itâ€™s one thing to quickly check the time and another when you just keep scrolling.

#25 Using Words Like ‘Gay’, ‘Retarded’ And ‘Autistic’ As An Insult

Saying â€˜itâ€™s so gayâ€™ is sooo last year. And even if you think itâ€™s only a joke, and itâ€™s not offending anyone, it still has a bad connotation to it.

#26 Not Keeping A Safe Distance From Other Cars On The Road

Itâ€™s a well-known fact that driving too close to someone is not safe, and no matter what youâ€™re trying to prove, itâ€™s in poor taste to harass somebody by driving as close as of couple of meters from their car. A safe distance between two vehicles is at least 2 seconds behind.

#27 Not Leaving Someone’s House When They Say They Are Tired And Have To Get To Work Early In The Morning

It takes a lot of energy to invite people over and plan the entire evening. So when people are starting to leave, you should understand that the lovely evening is coming to an end. And if you hear someone say â€˜Iâ€™m really tiredâ€™ or â€˜I have to go to work early in the morningâ€™, itâ€™s also a sign that you should call a taxi and head…

It takes a lot of energy to invite people over and plan the entire evening. So when people are starting to leave, you should understand that the lovely evening is coming to an end. And if you hear someone say â€˜Iâ€™m really tiredâ€™ or â€˜I have to go to work early in the morningâ€™, itâ€™s also a sign that you should call a taxi and head home.

#28 Eating With Your Mouth Open

We try not to be too snobby here, but seeing someone chew with their mouth open is something others might not enjoy witnessing. We get it, itâ€™s hard to control yourself sometimes, but just try to be as self- aware as possible. Also, if somebody is eating with their mouth open, hereâ€™s how you can politely tell them to stop.

#29 Blocking Pedestrian Crossings With Your Car

If youâ€™re in a car, youâ€™re not a pedestrian, so anything that is strictly dedicated to pedestrians is something you shouldnâ€™t be driving on, especially sidewalks and pedestrian crossings. Is this so hard to understand??

#30 Rambling On And On To A Person Who Is Obviously Busy

Your assignment is due tomorrow, youâ€™re already doing five things at once, and your boss keeps messaging you asking to do something thatâ€™s not even your responsibility. And then Karen walks in, asks how your dayâ€™s going, and then talks about her weekend, and then she shares a story about how her dog seems to have diarrhea. She keeps talking and talking, and no matter how…

Your assignment is due tomorrow, youâ€™re already doing five things at once, and your boss keeps messaging you asking to do something thatâ€™s not even your responsibility. And then Karen walks in, asks how your dayâ€™s going, and then talks about her weekend, and then she shares a story about how her dog seems to have diarrhea. She keeps talking and talking, and no matter how many times you say â€˜I should really get back to workâ€™, she seems to not understand it. Annoying, right? Yeah, thought so.

We get it, youâ€™re busy, you didnâ€™t have time to eat and youâ€™re just too hungry to wait until you get back home and fill your tummy. But please, be considerate of others and avoid eating stinky food like tuna sandwiches in public, especially buses or trains, where nobody can escape the smell.

#32 Not Taking Care Of Your Personal Hygiene

Personal hygiene isnâ€™t something people should need to be reminded about. Donâ€™t forget to think about others when thinking about skipping a shower or two.

#33 Talking Loudly In Public Areas

Yes, itâ€™s cool you have friends to talk to, and itâ€™s even cooler that the topic is so riveting that now youâ€™re all hyped up. But please, make sure your voice isnâ€™t louder than your surroundings, not everybody wants to hear what happened to you last night.

#34 Sitting Close To Someone On An Empty Bus

This one is just creepy. Why would you choose to invade someone elseâ€™s private space when there are plenty of free seats on the bus?

#35 Talking To Someone With Headphones On

If you see a person with their headphones on, it usually means â€˜I am not in the mood to talkâ€™, especially if itâ€™s a stranger. Itâ€™s one thing to ask them a question, but to continue disturbing them is something that will make them hate you. Just let them listen to their music.

#36 Talking On Your Phone When Youâ€™re First In The Line

If youâ€™re in line to order a drink or anything else, please be aware that nobody wants to wait for you to finish your conversation to order. Just known what you want, say it and donâ€™t make the barista wait for you to tell your mom what you ate yesterday.

#37 Reading Over Someone Elseâ€™s Shoulder

Ok, this one is a bit more subtle. Many of us check what people next to us are reading on the bus, and thatâ€™s not necessarily a bad thing, if youâ€™re being discrete. But obnoxiously reading someoneâ€™s private texts over their shoulder is a big social no no. Oh, and remember you can always feel if somebody is creeping on you behind your back.

#38 Petting And/Or Feeding Stranger Dogs

Always always ask the owner if you can pet or feed their pet. You never know if the pet is friendly and feeding them can even cause an allergic reaction.

And remember, the owner knows best, so if he says â€˜noâ€™ do not try petting their animal behind their back.

#39 Using Both Armrests

Long train ride? Flight? Want to rest? Well, why not try thinking about your neighbor and leaving one armrest for him? Afterall, sharing is caring.

And according to a manner coach Adeodata Czink, â€œif youâ€™re sitting in a window or aisle seat, the middle seat passenger gets to put his arms down first. If thereâ€™s room left over, great….

Long train ride? Flight? Want to rest? Well, why not try thinking about your neighbor and leaving one armrest for him? Afterall, sharing is caring.

And according to a manner coach Adeodata Czink, â€œif youâ€™re sitting in a window or aisle seat, the middle seat passenger gets to put his arms down first. If thereâ€™s room left over, great. If not, it belongs to the middle seat passenger. And one more thing, try to be nice about it.â€

#40 Walking Too Slowly On A Busy Street

If itâ€™s a busy area where people are in a hurry to get to school or work, please donâ€™t be the person who just walks like theyâ€™re in a park and disturbs everyone from getting to their destinations on time.

When it comes to bars, there is an entire section of unwritten rules people usually follow to avoid uncomfortable situations or piss off other patrons, and one of them is to wait patiently for your turn to order. According to Good Cocktails, â€œWhen the bartender is busy, don’t try to cut in by yelling, “I just want a water!” Why should the bartender stop serving the paying customers in order…

When it comes to bars, there is an entire section of unwritten rules people usually follow to avoid uncomfortable situations or piss off other patrons, and one of them is to wait patiently for your turn to order. According to Good Cocktails, â€œWhen the bartender is busy, don’t try to cut in by yelling, “I just want a water!” Why should the bartender stop serving the paying customers in order to serve a person that only wants a free glass of water.â€ But when you about it, why should the bartender stop serving a customer just to take your order even if youâ€™re paying?

#42 Pretending To Not See An Old Or Pregnant Person

We get it, it happens, youâ€™re tired, you kinda donâ€™t see the pregnant lady standing next to you but you really do, and in your head, you know damn well you should get your butt off the seat and offer it to someone who is literally carrying another human being inside of her.

#43 Peeing Close To Someone In The Urinal

Nobody wants to pee standing close to someone else. If youâ€™re not sure you know all of the unwritten rules about peeing in the urinals, make sure you take this test.